The Stench of Iron
by Flinch-Hayward
Summary: Stefan/Lethe support conversations. Stefan has a lot of things to correct Lethe about, though they do agree on one thing - laguz make far better mates than beorc do. Slight Stefan/Lethe later on, but not on C support level.
1. Chapter 1

OK, so I wrote this for a prompt on the Fire Emblem 'kink meme'. It took me so long to write so little that I thought I might as well post it up here. Besides, the prompt was written nearly a year ago, so some others should enjoy it before the OP finds it (if ever they do, and I hope they do).

Original prompt:

FE9 Lethe/Stefan  
Lethe being mean to him because he's Branded (and she's Lethe), Stefan being the awesomeness that is Stefan. Make it go somewhere interesting. Smut completely optional.

I wrote it as a support conversation. Because Stefan needs more supports. Srsly. He and Soren have the same number (two), and Soren's waaaay more antisocial than he is. Not that I wouldn't also have liked more Soren supports. Anyway.

* * *

**C-Rank Support Conversation**

Lethe growled at the swordsmaster as he passed her.

"Yes?" Stefan asked, his face perfectly calm. "I don't believe we've had the pleasure of introduction. My name is Stefan." He produced his hand to her, though she clearly had no intention of shaking it.

"The stench of iron does nothing to mask you, Parentless," she spat. "Remove yourself from my presence. You are polluting my air."

The faint hint of a smile twitched on Stefan's face. "I assure you I have no intention of doing any such thing. At the very least, not until we have this little misunderstanding cleared up."

"Misunderstanding?" Lethe bared her fangs. "You would deny that you are one of the Parentless? Your putrid scent is proof enough."

Stefan raised his eyebrows. "My, my…We seem to be rather narrow-minded today, wouldn't you say?" His smile widened, only serving to irritate Lethe further. "If you must be so intolerant, you might consider at least using the appropriate terminology."

"You are Parentless," Lethe hissed, her fists clenching.

"You are ignorant," Stefan said pointedly. "I may indeed be one of the Branded, as is the beorc wont to call us. I assure you most emphatically, however, that we are not parentless, despite this hideous laguz tendency to identify us as such. No doubt it is some farcical attempt to deny that you have anything to do with our existence. As it so happens, both my parents were beorc. I am not even the direct result of the relationships that you condemn."

"Such abominations contaminate the bloodline." The scorn in Lethe's voice was evident.

"Yes, quite." Stefan murmured something quietly to himself. "Tell me. What it is that you find so detestable about us? Beorc hatred I understand, given their religious nonsense, but laguz?"

"What self-respecting laguz would demean themselves by playing into the hands of humans? Only those too pathetic and weak to find a decent laguz specimen with which to mate."

Stefan could not help but laugh heartily at that particular comment. "I see. So the problem you have is not with me at all, but with my laguz ancestor, who I expect has long been dead." He reached forward and touched her hand. She flinched. "You believe that laguz mates are far superior to beorc. I can understand that sentiment. Indeed, I might agree with you upon it. Laguz have a certain…fierce beauty with which beorc cannot compete."

"What are you--"

Stefan smiled. "Perhaps we shall meet again sometime. I would like to learn your name."


	2. Chapter 2

OK, I really am starting to get worried. I decided to write this prompt because, well, because I had to write one, and I chose this so that I could backlash against all the Lethe/Ike and Stefan/Soren supporters (both of which seem utterly OOC in my opinion). So I'm slightly worried that I'm starting to support this pairing, which frankly started off as crack. Ho-hum.

Anyway. I have no clue how I'm going to do the A-rank support for this. But here's the B for ya. I semi-apologise if they're sliding slowly out of character. I've yet to meet anyone who can write Stefan well, and I am no exception to this rule.

If anyone has any really crazy ideas for other characters that they'd like to have seen a support for (state humour, romance or other), just leave a message. You never know when I might get randomly inspired.

* * *

**B-rank Support Conversation**

"Lethe."

"Hm?" Stefan looked up.

"My name is Lethe."

"Ah." Stefan smiled. "Thank you, Lethe." She remained silent, so Stefan spoke once more. "You know, there is an entire colony of Branded living in the Grann desert. For such a considerable taboo, it appears broken rather often, would you not say?"

"Beorc do not learn from their mistakes," Lethe said, her voice low.

Stefan ran his fingers through his hair. "I would argue that laguz are just as to blame, if not more so." Lethe growled at him. "Think about it. Most laguz can tell a person's emotions a lot more readily than beorc can. By the time a beorc realises, it is usually too late. They are too emotionally attached to the other. Yet I know that the beast tribes, at least, would know far before anything…occurred."

"It is--"

"Nevertheless," Stefan continued, "it could also be argued that the laguz were trying to strengthen the beorc bloodline. Consider it, Lethe. Beorc live short lives. They are weak. The Branded far outlive them, outstripping their skill in every respect. I believe Soren's tactical prowess alone is proof enough of that."

"That puny strategist is--"

Stefan laughed. "One of ours, yes. He is far better at hiding it than I am - he probably has more experience doing so. But again, this proves my argument, does it not? You, a pure beast laguz, were unable to sniff out his identity at all, whereas I knew instantly. Even you cannot deny that the Branded have more in their favour than either beorc or laguz. Indeed, I believe this is why the goddess punishes us. Because we have succeeded in creating beings more perfect than even she was capable of." He gripped Lethe's hand, loosely but firmly.

She snarled at him. "Will you let me speak now?"

"Certainly." He smiled at her.

"Good. You are without a doubt the most infuriating man I have ever met, rudely interrupting me like that." Stefan laughed. "Do not test my patience! Listen to me - Parentless, Branded, whatever you wish to call your cursed self - no laguz would ever risk losing their powers to help such a bafflingly inferior race as the beorc!"

Stefan took her other hand and ran his fingers across it. "Shh…the loudness of your voice alone could deafen every laguz and Branded in this entire encampment." He slowly moved forward, backing her up against a nearby wall. "Tell me, Lethe. You seem intelligent. The laguz blood that I have comes through many generations of beorc. Would you have me pass it on through another?"

"Beorc have no right to laguz blood, when it casts them no such curses as it does us."

Stefan smiled, leaning in closer. "The goddess curses relationships between laguz and beorc to cause enmity between the two, and towards the Branded. She thinks that such curses will dissuade us from creating beings more powerful than she can control. Yet I think her foolish. In cursing laguz and beorc relationships, she has overlooked a very crucial thing." Lethe's eyes met his in confusion. "Last time I checked, I was not a beorc."


	3. Chapter 3

I just want to thank everyone for all the awesome reviews; they really made me happy (heck, they made me DAW!). I wrote this at 5am after getting 4 hours sleep (largely due to a certain somebody in the same room getting laid and not being very quiet about it).

Also. To NinjaSheik...woah. That was fandom mixing if ever there was any. LoZ screenname, Narutard comment, on an FE story? O___o Anywho.

Erm...with response to Percussion, yeah...I see what you mean, and I felt it was a little forced too. But, bear in mind that I knew I had to go from hatred to plausible pairing in just 3 chapters. It was pretty hurried for a reason. Though, I did take your comments on board.

No, I won't be doing an S or SS-rank support conversation for the happy couple. XD I feel as though they deserve some privacy. That and I can't write smut to save my life. However, any of you are welcome to write it in my place. It's not like I own the pairing. So, I guess this is the end of this random little expedition. Unless, as I earlier mentioned, any of you have any other crack!pairings that you want me to write. Because if so, just leave a comment. It's not like I have anything better to do (like update my regular fics, Sellsword and Ellipsis, as I've been promising for absolutely aaaaages). XD

Enjoy! (And I hope this isn't the last time we meet!)

* * *

**A-rank Support Conversation**

Stefan unbuckled his sheath, letting it fall to the floor. "There, see? No stench of iron this time." He leaned closer, pushing her farther against the wall than he had before.

Lethe's breath caught in her throat. "You...smell of the lion tribe."

"What did you think, that I was descended from ravens?" He smirked, placing one hand slightly above her shoulder and cocking his head to one side.

"No..." She lowered her gaze, but Stefan lifted her chin once again.

"Glad to hear it." Still holding her face gently in his hand, he leaned forward and kissed her.

It was a few moments before she remembered to protest, and pushed him back. "Do not sully my mouth, Branded." But her voice was softer, almost breathless after the kiss.

"Would you rather I sullied elsewhere?" Stefan asked, his face perfectly straight but for a raised eyebrow. He moved forwards again, letting his hand slide from the wall down to trace the contours of her neck. Lethe shuddered.

"Was that a purr I heard, Lethe?" Stefan smiled.

"Nonsense. As if a halfbreed like you could--"

He silenced her with another kiss, and this time she forgot to resist at all. "I can feel your heart beating at a mile a minute," he murmured, running his other hand slowly through her hair. "Even behind the stench of iron, beast laguz can smell out strong emotion. You knew this was going to happen. You could have stopped it."

"I must admit..." Lethe broke off with a gasp as he ran his hand down her back. "I underestimated your determination."

"You still could have stopped it."

"I didn't want to," Lethe whispered, feeling both his rough hands caressing her body.

Stefan smiled. That was the response he had been waiting for. "_Very_ glad to hear it." He pressed himself closer to her. "So, do you still want nothing to do with the Branded? Do you still think that we're wrong, that we're cursed?"

Lethe rested her head on his shoulder. "I suppose...given the current situation..." She snuggled closer. "So long as you're not a beorc, I can forgive myself."

"In which case, I suppose I can forgive you for having to forgive yourself." Stefan laughed, holding her tightly as his hands ran the length of her back. There was a definite purr this time.


End file.
